Davidson’s Mains & Association

www.dmsa.org.uk

May NEWSLETTER 2019

AGM and PUBLIC MEETING Wednesday 15 May at 7.00 pm South Hall, Davidson’s Mains Parish Church, Quality Street

7.00 pm to 7.30 DAVIDSON’S MAINS & SILVERKNOWES ASSOCIATION AGM

Proceedings and Decisions

7.30 pm to 9.00 FutureDMS — DAVIDSON’S MAINS AND SILVERKNOWES IDEAS EVENT

Presentation and Discussion

Come along and help shape the future of our community

9.00 pm Refreshments will be provided after the event

NEWS FROM FutureDMS

FutureDMS ONE YEAR ON AND SECOND CONSULTATION 15 MAY

FutureDMS is a community led initiative to be a forum for discussion and to seek to take forward projects in Davidson’s Mains and Silverknowes. In 2018 an online presence was established and this has been a great forum to discuss and promote new ideas, share local news, raise issues of interest and concern and it will hopefully continue to be used for these and other purposes into the future. We also held an ideas event in May 2018 and intend to follow this up on 15 May. The results of the May 2018 consultation, using the Place Standard, are summarised in a short report which is available on the DMSA website. The opinions indicated a generally positive perception of open space in Davidson’s Mains and Silverknowes – notably The Green, Davidson’s Mains Park, and the Shore. There were many ideas relating to improving outside space, a community garden, recreation and use for community events. Negative comments related to poor care and maintenance, litter and anti-social behaviour. The streetscape in the heart of the village was noted as an area where many people would welcome improvements. This includes widening pavements and improved street lighting. In addition residents would welcome a different mix of local shops and, in particular, many called for a restaurant. The Tesco store was seen as being an important asset for the community. There were a significant number of ideas generated in relation to traffic and parking. This was the greatest priority identified in the Place Standard. The ideas were focussed around three principle areas:

 The improvement of safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists in the area, including traffic calming and shared spaces for vehicles.  Improving traffic flow (including preventing rat running) and safer interaction with pedestrians crossings by placing traffic lights at key junctions; encouraging and enforcing appropriate car parking on Main Street and dropping off at the school.

The event on 15 May will pick up the two themes of outside spaces; and transport and routes to school. Regarding outside spaces we have invited short presentations from Lauriston Castle, Friends of Davidson’s Mains Park, the Christmas Lights Committee and the Gala Committee. We will then have a workshop discussion to identify specific ideas for projects and events that the community would like to see. In relation to the traffic and routes to school we will have short presentations from Davidson’s Mains Primary School Parent Council and local residents with current suggestions for the pedestrian crossing on Main Street at Silverknowes Road. We will then expand this into a workshop to discuss specific ideas for changes to traffic, cycling and pedestrian routes.

The event is intended to develop further some specific projects that the community can participate in and we would welcome your enthusiasm and attendance at the event on 15 May.

UPDATE ON PROPOSALS FOR DAVIDSON'S MAINS ROUNDABOUT

In our November Newsletter we provided details of a proposed re-design and upgrade of the roundabout at the west end of Main Street. The changes included enhancements to the pedestrian crossings as well as other improvements and these proposals are still available on the DMSA website. At the time the Council were reminded of the firm commitment that had been made after the fatal accident in 2017 to consider a traffic light controlled junction as an alternative proposition against a background of complaints over many years about the safety of the crossings. The Council acknowledged that and since then a full traffic assessment has been undertaken of the pattern and frequency of vehicle movements at the junction to see if the quite stringent criteria for traffic lights can be met. Ultimately the decision will be based on a cost versus risk assessment. The Council Traffic Signal Team are currently analysing the data to see if traffic lights could be a viable option and, if so, they will go on to provide a design layout. Whatever the outcome of this exercise, a basic upgrade to the roundabout, or a full traffic light controlled junction, the final recommendation will be put out to public consultation within the next two or three months. The safety of pedestrians at the crossings is everyone’s top priority but we know that there are mixed views on the installation of more traffic lights in the village so it is important that everyone takes the opportunity to have their say on the issue.

THE SCOURGE OF VANDALISM AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

It is very dispiriting that a report on the incidence of vandalism and anti-social behaviour by groups of youths is becoming a regular feature in our Newsletters. After a period of respite from about the end of October last year, when firstly Park and then Estate had become the location of choice for the youths to congregate, the trouble returned to our area from about mid February this year with the grounds of Lauriston Castle again being targeted, particularly on Friday evenings and over the week-ends. The youths, who are mostly under age, congregate in the grounds to drink alcohol and generally create a mess and cause damage, with the Japanese Garden being subject to serious damage on more than one occasion. The police have the difficulty that when they take steps to disperse the youths and move them on, the trouble spills over into Barnton Gardens/ Road South and along to Main Street creating problems for residents. There were many reports of minor crime, acts of vandalism, and numerous instances of intimidating and threatening behaviour directed at local residents and innocent passers- by. We know that residents are worried about it and they tell us they would like to see a much more visible and regular police presence. Unfortunately with present police resources that is just not going to happen. In the current financial year there has been a further cut in the Council funding for community policing and even the present modest allocation of community police is likely to be reduced further. To be fair to the police, when trouble escalates they do try to provide extra resources. After the incidents during March, the police anticipated that the period of the school holidays in April could be very problematic and so ten additional officers, with a mix of plain clothes and uniformed personnel, were allocated to the North West Area. The local police anticipated that with these extra resources they would be able to do more to pre-empt trouble before it occurred, rather than just providing a high level response afterwards. All the indications are that the strategy was successful with local residents telling us that they are relieved that the two weeks of the school holidays passed without any significant problems. Everyone recognises that more has to be done to try to make the grounds of Lauriston Castle more difficult to gain unauthorised entry at times when the gates are locked and some ideas to achieve that objective are to be considered at a meeting of interested parties in May. The local police always attend the monthly meetings of the committee to discuss law and order issues and it is much appreciated. They are once again now also providing a written report which is made available on the DMSA website for residents who want regular information. A surprising statistic from the April meeting was that during the month of March when there were incidents each weekend, the police received only fourteen reports to the 101 number. The police stress that it is important that residents notify them of issues as soon as they are aware of anything. It allows the police to get a complete picture of what is happening in their area, to make the best use of resources, and to provide as quick a response as possible.

NEWS ON LOCAL PROJECTS

It is good to see that two projects on which the DMSA has long been campaigning have progressed this year. The worst road surface in our area on Silverknowes Drive, and there is serious competition for the dubious award, has recently been surface dressed which is very welcome, even if it was not quite the full restructuring and resurfacing which had originally been promised. Also the upgrade to the N1 cycle route through Davidson’s Mains Park to Queensferry Road to provide an improved surface and lighting is under way and will be completed over the next two or three months. Moving forward, a number of streets on east Silverknowes will be surface dressed this year, including Silverknowes Road East, Silverknowes Southway, and sections of Silverknowes Grove, Gardens and View. It is pleasing to note Silverknowes Road East has been added to the list in response to comments from the Association after it had been omitted from earlier lists. On the major project front we will continue to press for improvements to the layout of the junction of Ferry Road and Silverknowes Road East, and also support FutureDMS in seeking improvements to the crossing on Main Street at the crossroads with Silverknowes Road.

NEWS FROM FRIENDS OF DAVIDSONS MAINS PARK FDMP are currently looking for people with vision and ideas to help with their work in making improvements to the park. Recent successes include new railings at the park entrance, millennium information panels at the entrance and head of the park, new notice boards, installation of owl and bird boxes and most recently the planting of a community orchard meaning apples, pears and plums will be available for free, at the right time of year, of course. Further planting will take place once the north west corner is restored. We want to show that while the park is good for football and exercise, it is also a vital, valuable green space for our area. FDMP are looking for volunteers to help with such items as the planning and implementing of improvements to the park entrance area (the scrub area adjacent to Holy Cross Church), upkeep of the sign boards and ideas for improvements to the wet land area to make the best use of it in terms of wild life and flora. If you are interested in helping to make your park one of the best in north , contributing and developing your ideas along the way, then why not approach Dan Smith to see how you can make a difference? On other issues, upgrading of the cycle path is progressing and is expected to be completed over the summer, although the temporary closure of the access route to and from Queensferry Road has been a big inconvenience for cyclists and walkers. Also there are worries about plans by the Council Waste Services to reduce the number of waste bins in the park to save time and money on uplifts. The Friends are very concerned about the proposals but hope that a compromise can be reached to ensure bins can be retained at the busiest and most important locations. A project still to be completed is the painting of the Cramond Football Club storage container in bright graffiti art, to discourage and camouflage any offensive graffiti being applied by hooligans. The pupils from the RHS art department have been waiting for better weather to get it done but now plan to finish the work during May . Dan Smith, Chair, Friends of Davidson’s Mains Park, 0131 312 8330 or 07713099010: email [email protected] web: e-voice.org.uk/dmainspark.

LOCAL TRAFFIC AND PARKING PROBLEMS

The Association gets more complaints relating to traffic and parking than any other local issue and it is just not possible to list all the problems within the limited space available in the Newsletter, although there is more information on the website. The situation is continuing to get worse, and in reality this is inevitable given the increased traffic associated with all the major developments to the north and west, the consequential overloading of the Queensferry Road, and the spill over onto the local road network through Cramond and Davidson’s Mains and onto the Ferry Road. To put this in some sort of context there are currently over 4200 houses being built or planned in developments on the north west side of the city, at Cammo, , and . This number does not include speculative applications for sites at Craigiehall or Craigs Road which could add even more, but all of this together with major developments in Fife and even West Lothian adds significantly to traffic pressures on the Queensferry Road corridor, and the fact is that there has been no proper investment in infrastructure to provide any additional capacity. The City of Edinburgh Council’s only response to this escalating issue is to plan to introduce bus lanes on Queensferry Road later this year. A linked project will introduce a smart system of traffic light controls which will clear paths for buses and give them priority through junctions. A report is scheduled to go to Council to approve these projects in May. The proposals are at least in part a response to intensive lobbying by Lothian Buses, and other operators, to reduce delays for buses on Queensferry Road and is consistent with the Council’s strategy to encourage a modal shift in transport from private car use towards public transport. The long term objective may be worthy but in the immediate future there can be no doubt that with only one traffic lane being available on Queensferry Road for non bus and taxi traffic, congestion in Davidson’s Mains is going to get even worse. It is reasonable to surmise that this is likely to be a very contentious issue later this year.

Regarding heavy traffic in the area, the Association is getting complaints again about HGV’s ignoring the 7.5 tonne weight limit on Main Street and the 10 metre length limit on Lauriston Farm Road. Last year we undertook traffic surveys at each of these locations to identify and report the culprits and the response from vehicle owners was very positive with most instructing their drivers to obey the regulation. Unfortunately the effect has inevitably reduced over time so we plan to undertake the surveys again this year. We had very welcome help from some residents last year and it would be great if we could have help again. If you are concerned about the traffic and would like to be involved in some positive action to make a difference then please get in touch or watch the notice board and website for information when we are setting this up. The more people who can help, the more extensive the survey can become.

On specific parking issues, the Association has made a submission to the Council for a residents parking scheme to be considered for The Green , and we are waiting for the response. Also we recently reached agreement for yellow line restrictions to be extended on Corbiehill Crescent on the north side of the road opposite Curves and expect that will be done this year. Further survey’s are to be undertaken at the junction of Main Street and Corbiehill Road before any double yellow restriction is considered for the corner at the Corbie.

AN UPDATE FROM DAVIDSON’S MAINS AND SILVERKNOWES CHRISTMAS LIGHTS GROUP (DMSCLG)

A big thank you for the help of local residents and businesses in hitting our initial £10,000 target! 2018 Event Review and Thank You. We would like to thank the community for pulling together and helping us make the 2018 switch-on event a great success, enjoyed by almost a thousand people. The ‘Greatest Showman’ theme seemed to be appreciated by all ages and we enjoyed a wonderful showcase of local talent including the primary school choir, carols in the hall, Dan Robertson, Minister of the Parish Church, local dance groups, acrobats, magicians, and fantastic hosting and singing from Jamie Lee Morley. The craft stalls and refreshments provided by small local businesses were fantastic, and our community fundraising beer, ‘DMains Tap’ brewed by local brewery Top Out, was a huge hit. The event itself would not have been possible without the help of many community organisations and local businesses, and of course the 70 strong team of volunteers who helped to run stalls, control the gates and act as marshals. Particular thanks go to Holy Cross Church and Davidson’s Mains Parish Church, Davidson’s Mains Gala, Ye Olde Inn, Tesco and 30th Craigalmond Scouts for their support.

Switch On 2019. Planning for this year’s event is already underway, and we would like to thank everyone who completed the questionnaires after last year’s event. The feedback is very helpful to us. Overall, people were very positive, with 97% of respondees rating the event as good or excellent. We are working hard to ensure we respond to areas where there were a number of people suggesting changes. In particular we will look at shortening the overall length of the event and to bring the timing forward so young families and more elderly residents feel able to participate in the full event.

th Save the date: This year’s event will take place on Saturday 30 November. Fundraising target achieved Thanks to the outstanding generosity of the residents, businesses and organisations of Davidson’s Mains and Silverknowes, we are now in a position to look at options for replacing the current Christmas lights. This has been a great achievement after only fifteen months of campaigning and fundraising. We will however need to carry on fundraising, albeit at a less ambitious level. The up-front costs for the switch-on event runs into the thousands of pounds, once licences, venue costs and such like are taken into account. Also we need to build up reserves for the longer term to cover the annual running costs of operating our own lights. You can start to help soon by looking out for us in Tesco’s ‘Bags of Help’ scheme: please vote for us by putting your blue token in the Davidson’s Mains Christmas Lights slot.

Lights update Feedback from the questionnaire quite rightly included questions about the new lights. Huge thanks are due to the City of Edinburgh Council for providing the lights up to 2019, but this is the final year of the Council provision so now we have the exciting opportunity to source our own community lights. The planning of the new lights display is underway, with the group engaging with several contractors to look at options in the coming months. However, the lights team are committed to enhancing the current lighting for 2019 to make a difference pending new lights being purchased for 2020. The Lights group has made such great progress that we have become a fully constituted group in our own right with our own committee and bank account. We are no longer operating under the DMSA but really appreciate their past help and assurance that they will continue to support us in an informal way in future.

Plea for help We are an enthusiastic yet small group of volunteers and want to see the annual event go from strength to strength in coming years. We would welcome any support, especially if you could help with volunteer recruitment, lights, or electrics but there are other ways to help. Together Let’s Make Davidson’s Mains Shine! Email [email protected] or speak to us at the DMSA AGM on Wednesday 15 May.

LOCAL HISTORY - WALKS AND TALKS

Under the auspices of the Cramond Heritage Trust and in collaboration with the Boardwalk Beachclub Café a series of “Walks and Talks” are planned for the summer months which will be of great interest for anyone who is interested in the history of the foreshore from Cramond to Granton. The walks will start from and end at the café while the talks will take place at the café. The time for both is 11am – 1 pm. To ascertain the level of interest the first two dates are:

15th May – A walk along Edinburgh’s most beautiful Esplanade - leaving from the Beach Club Café, the route is along the promenade towards Granton, then West Shore Road to Marine Drive and back to the Café. It is an opportunity to appreciate the views of the Forth and the islands and look at some of the old mansion houses

22nd May – A talk on the ‘The Cramond Estate’ – find out about the interesting history of the estate with information on Lauriston, Inveralmond, Braehead and the Whitehouse.

There will be a limit on numbers so it will be necessary to book for these events. If you are interested contact Charlotte on 336 2494 or email [email protected] There will be a modest charge of £3.00 to support the work of Cramond Heritage Trust. If these events prove popular a further two could be undertaken in June with more later. The topics for the June events would be provisionally as follows with dates to be fixed later: A walk starting from and ending at the Beach Club Café - to Cramond, taking in the views of the island, the River Almond Estuary, and visits to the Maltings, the historical Roman remains, and Cramond Tower. A talk on Granton, the home of Dukes, Earls and Lords – the history of Granton Castle, Royston House, Caroline Park, new Granton House and the effects of industrial change on the area.